Anwar Sadat

Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat was a central figure in 20th-century Egyptian history.

He served as the third president of Egypt from 1970 until 1981. Sadat was both a military officer and a highly influential politician. His leadership changed the political and economic direction of his nation. He moved Egypt away from the policies of his predecessor, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Sadat is remembered for leading a war to reclaim territory and later for brokering a historic peace.

Sadat's journey began in a poor family in Mit Abu El Kom. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy in Cairo in 1938.

After joining the army, he met Gamal Abdel Nasser in the Sudan. Together, they formed the Free Officers, a secret group of military men. This group aimed to end British rule and stop corruption in Egypt. In 1952, the Free Officers led a revolution that overthrew King Farouk I. Sadat played a key role by delivering the revolution's first radio announcement.

After the revolution, Sadat rose through the Egyptian government. He served as a minister and the editor of the daily newspaper Al Gomhuria. He also became the second president of the National Assembly. In 1964, he was appointed Vice President of Egypt. He held this position twice under President Nasser. When Nasser died in October 1970, Sadat succeeded him as president. Many expected his presidency to be short, but he proved to be a very capable leader.

Once in power, Sadat launched a "Corrective Revolution" in 1971.

He used this movement to consolidate his authority. He removed many officials who were loyal to the old ways of Nasserism. He also changed Egypt's relationship with the Soviet Union, which had been a long-time ally. Sadat expelled Soviet military forces and moved toward a different economic model. He introduced the Infitah, an economic policy meant to "open up" Egypt to more global trade. He also allowed more political variety by reinstituting a multi-party system.

In 1973, Sadat led Egypt during the Yom Kippur War.

This conflict was an attempt to retake the Sinai Peninsula. Israel had occupied the Sinai since the Six-Day War in 1967. During the war, the Egyptian military executed Operation Badr. This involved crossing the Suez Canal to enter the Sinai.

They successfully broke through the Bar Lev Line, a defensive chain thought to be unbreakable. Although the war involved intense fighting and superpower tension, it eventually led to a ceasefire. This military action made Sadat a hero in Egypt and much of the Arab world.

Following the war, Sadat shifted his focus toward diplomacy. He wanted to secure a lasting peace with Israel.

He worked with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and U.S. President Jimmy Carter. This cooperation led to the Camp David Accords and the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty.

As part of this treaty, Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. For these efforts, Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This treaty changed the geopolitics of the Middle East forever.

However, Sadat's peace efforts were very controversial. Many in the Arab world felt he had made a separate peace without consulting others. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and most Arab states opposed his actions. Because of this, Egypt was suspended from the Arab League from 1979 to 1989. At home, groups like the Muslim Brotherhood rejected the treaty. They believed Sadat had abandoned the cause of a Palestinian state. These tensions grew as his presidency continued.

On 6 October 1981, Sadat's life ended during a military parade in Cairo.

Members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, led by Khalid Al-Islambuli, opened fire on him. They used automatic rifles during the ceremony. This assassination was a direct reaction to his political decisions and the peace treaty. Despite his death, the impact of his presidency remained. He had fundamentally altered Egypt's economy, its military standing, and its place in the world.